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Simplest Inverter With Just a DC Motor 12V to 220V AC

Introduction: Simplest Inverter With Just a DC Motor 12V to 220V AC

Hi!

In this instructable, you will learn to make a simple inverter at home.This inverter does not requires multiple electronic components but a single component which is a small 3V DC Motor.The DC Motor alone is responsible for performing the switching action which in turn, converts the DC from a battery into an AC voltage. This type of inverter is a square wave inverter and is good for school or collage projects.

List of components required for the project:-

6 - 12 volt battery

Some wires

A 3V toy DC Motor

a transformer single phase

a load bulb

wooden base

double sided paper tape

That's it!

Step 1: Transformer & DC Motor

--> You will need a 12 volts to 220 volts transformer.

--> A 3 volts toy DC Motor.

The wiring of the DC Motor's Armature has been modified a bit.The armature of this 3 volt toy DC motor has three windings. So what you have to do is disconnect anyone of the windings from the commutator exactly as shown in the picture.After doing that assemble the DC motor back as before.

"Now if you will connect the DC motor to a battery, it will not start automatically like it normally does but instead you will have to give it push start. Also, the DC motor will become inefficient and will operate at a really low speed and this is what is exactly required for this project"

Step 2: Circuit Details:

After completing the step one, take a battery ranging from 6 volts to 12 volts DC and connect it to the primary low voltage 12V side of the transformer with the transformed DC motor in series.

Now, if you will connect a multi-meter to the output terminals of the transformer, you will not see any high voltage output because the DC motor has to start for the circuit to act as an inverter and since you have removed one of the three windings of the motor's armature, it will not automatically start but instead you will have to give it a hand rotation first before it takes up speed.

Make sure that you do not touch the output High Voltage side of the transformer after the DC motor starts.

Step 3: Testing the Circuit:

After doing all the connections as instructed, connect a multi-meter to the Secondary High Voltage side of the transformer with its pointer pointing towards 750 volts AC.

Now, turn the motor's shaft with your hand until it picks up speed. After it picks up speed, you should see stepped up high voltage indicated on the multi-meter screen.The voltage indicated should be within the arrange of 150 to 400 volts AC.

Try connecting a bulb or a mobile charger and they should start operating.

The maximum power of this inverter depends on the size of the transformer and the input power supply.The frequency of this circuit depends on the on the motor speed which in turn depends on the input power supply.

Questions

6 Comments

This blows my mind in how resourceful it is! So you just disconnected two out of three connections in the motor, and it generates AC polarity switching? Any guesses what frequency it switches at? I know a lot of devices require 60Hz.

Nice project..can you please give a circuit diagram. And I have a question how can the project work without a current amplifying device like MOSFET.(i suppose the bulb is 10W or less rated). please correct me if I'm wrong :)